Belt buckle



March 4, 1941. H. BUCHSBAUM 2,233,883

BELT BUCKLE Filed Sept. '7, 1937 @A ,l VII.. l l

. bmw y www@ Patented Mar. 4, 1941 @PATENT FHCE BELT BUCKLE Herbert Buchsbaum, `Chicago, Ill.

ApplicationSeptember 7, 1937, Serial No. 162,720

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to belt buckles and is particularly directed toward improvements in belt buckles of the character Wherein a rocking gripping element is adapted to clamp the belt against a cover plate, the gripping element being carried by a memberpivoted to the cover plate and having means to attach one end of the belt thereto.

The present invention contemplates improvements in devices of this characterwhereby the same buckle will grip a thick or a thin belt with equal facility.

The invention also contemplates improvements in the gripping mechanism whereby the struc- 15 ture is simplied and the cost of production thereof is materially reduced.

More particularly,`the present invention contemplates an improved belt buckle having a cover plate with turned downside flanges that are -0 extended inwardly toward each other to provide a guide for the belt and to vprovide hinge portions to receive a gripper carrying plate to which one end of the belt may be attached. The gripper carrying plate is provided with an end portion turned toward the cover plate to which the gripping element is attached. The gripping element has a limited rocking movement and may also .slide on the gripper carrying plate toward and away from the cover plate to adapt the buckle for different thicknesses of belt.

Certain improvements are also provided in the gripping element itself whereby to improve the gripping characteristics thereof.

The features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully as the description proceeds, Areference being had to the `accompanying drawing wherein a preferred form of the invention is shown. It is to be understood, however, that the drawing and description are illustrative only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except in so far as it is limited vby the claims.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken on the line I--I of Fig. 2 showing the buckle applied to a belt;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view looking up at Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 showing a changed position of the parts;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on being left off for the sake of clearance;

lFig. 7 is a perspective view showing the gripper carrying plate before the gripper element is attached; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the gripping element.

Referring now to the drawing, the belt buckle is Amade up of a cover plate I0 which is curved longitudinally and transversely to provide a slightly convex outer surface. The cover plate Ill has side portions II and I2 turned downwardly and then inwardly toward each other to provide a pair of spaced guide flanges I3 and I4 through which the free end of a belt I5 may be guided. The flanges I3 and I 4 also are provided with tongues I6 and II which are bent around into loop form to provide pivots for a gripper carrying and belt attaching plate I8.

The plate I8, shown in perspective in Fig. '7, is cut out to provide a loop I9 adapted to receive one end 25 of the belt I5, as will be readily understood. Opposite the loop portion I9, the plate i8 has a gripper mounting flange 2I bent upwardly toward the cover plate lll at an angle of slightly more than 90 degrees with respect to the body of the plate I8. The loop portion I9 of the plate I8 is also angularly bent with respect to the body of the plate a slight amount, as illustrated best in Figs. 4 and 5.

The flange 2I has integral therewith a pair of pivot pins 22 and 23 which are mounted in the bearings provided by the curved tongues I and II to pivotally mount the plate I8 upon the cover plate IU.

The flange 2l constitutes a mounting portion for a gripping element 24 which is 'generally U-shaped in cross section with an elongated opening 25 in its base. The opening 25 receives the ange 2| which is undercut slightly at 25, and, after the gripping element 24 is seated on the flange 2l, this flange is pressed out to provide a pair of projections 27 and 28 that extend over the gripping element 24 and secure the element 24 to the flange 2 l. As shown best in Figs. 3, 5, and 6, the gripping element 24 may rock upon the flange 2| and has a limited sliding movement on the flange 2I toward and away from the body of the plate I8. This is due to the clearance shown at 29 in Fig, 6.y

The gripping element 24, as shown best in Figs. 6 and 8, has its side portions SFI and 3| diverging outwardly from the base. The side portion 3l is rounded at 32 to provide a central raised gripping portion for engaging the belt I5. The curvature of the edge 32 of the portion 3| is CTI greater than the curvature of the curved plate I0 so that the maximum gripping effect of this edge is at the center. The gripping element 24 has its end portions 33 and 34 bent to extend toward the belt attaching plate I8 at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the gripping element 24. This angle is substantially so that the end portions 33 and 34 in the limited rocking movement provided for the element 24 may provide gripping edges and 36 that engage the belt to effect a better gripping of the belt and particularly of a thin belt. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, the dot and dash line 31 indicates the path of travel of the edge 32, while it is clear that the edge 35 of the end portion 33 in turning about the same axis extends out beyond the line 31 and therefore will grip the belt tighter than the edge 32 in the extreme position shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 1 shows the relation of the parts when the belt I5 is first inserted. The end gripping edges 35 and 36 are well back out of the way of the belt, and the only part that is in position to start gripping is the gripping edge 32. Now, however, as the parts are advanced to the position shown in Fig. 4, the gripping edge 32 is caused to bite into the belt I5 and clamp it against the cover plate I0, the portion 30 of the gripping element 24 being moved away from the flange 2| by the rocking movement of the gripping element 24 on the flange 2|. Where the belt is so thin that the gripping edge 32 is insuicient to hold it, the plate IB continues. to

turn with respect tothe rcover plate I0 until the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5. In this position, the angle which the flange 2i makes with the direction of pull upon the belt I5 is suicient to cause the gripping element 24 to slide out, that is, away from the pins 22 and 23 and against the projections 21 and 28. Also, the angular position of the gripping element 24 with respect to the belt I5 is such that now the gripping edges 35 and 36 bite into the belt I5 as the gripping edge 32 passes itsposition of maximum gripping to transfer the gripping action of the element 24 from the edge 32 to the edges 35 and 36.

It is believed tobe evident from the foregoing description that I have provided a simple economical and effective gripping mechanism for belt buckles of the character described. The cooperative features of the plate I8 and the gripping element 24 enable me to use buckles of the same specic structure and dimensions for belts of a wide range of thickness.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A buckle of the character described, comprising a cover plate, a gripper carrying plate pivoted to said cover plate and adapted to have a belt attached thereto, a gripping element, said gripping element having a slot therein, the gripper carrying plate having a part extending through said slot, said slot being of greater width than the thickness of said part, and means on the gripper carrying plate cooperating with the gripping element to connect the .gripping element to the gripper carrying plate for sliding and rocking movement relatively thereto. f

2. A buckle comprising a cover plate, a gripper carrying plate pivoted to said ycover plate and adapted to have a belt attached thereto, said gripper carrying plate having a gripper mounting flange thereon extending toward the cover plate, said flange having spaced bearing surfaces facing the cover plate and a gripper holding portion located between and projecting beyond the bearing surfaces toward the cover plate, a gripping element having oppositely disposed leg portions, said gripping element being slotted 'intermediate its ends to receive said holding portion and having a connecting web portion at either end of said slot, said web portions riding upon said spaced bearing surfaces of the gripper ycarrying plate, and said holding portion having oppositely directed projections extending beyond the slot of the gripping element over said web portions to cooperate therewith and prevent the gripping element from sliding oi the flange.

3. A buckle comprising a cover plate, a gripper carrying plate pivoted to said cover plate and adapted to have a belt .attached thereto, said gripper carrying plate having a gripper mounting flange thereon extending toward the cover plate, said flange having spaced bearing surfaces facing the cover plate and a gripper holding portion located between and projecting bevond said bearing surfaces towards the cover plate, a gripping element having oppositely disposed leg portions, said gripping element being slotted intermediate its ends to receive said `holding portion and having a connecting web portion at either end of said slot, the exterior surfaces of said web portions engaging said spaced bearing surfaces of the gripper carrying plate,

and said holding portion having projections extending beyond ther slot of the gripping element over the same to prevent the gripping element from sliding 01T the flange.

4. A buckle including a cover plate, a gripper carrying plate pivoted to said cover plate and adapted to have a belt attached thereto, a gripping element pivotally connected to the gripper carrying plate, said grippingelement having oppositely disposed leg portions and a web portion connecting the same, one leg portion of said gripping element having end portions extending rearwardly from its intermediate portion and the pivotal axis of the gripping element at an acute angle to provide gripping edge portions correspondingly disposed at an acute angle to the gripping edge of its intermediate portion and projecting further than the same from the pivotal axis of the gripping element...

HERBERT BUCHSBAUM. 

